Class 6A girls soccer: Julia McBride leads Edmond North past Norman North for state title

Ike Emegano stayed ahead of Norman North’s defensive strategy.

The Edmond North girls soccer coach had certainty the opposing team would pay extra attention to Rylee McLanahan, a standout sophomore midfielder who has competed for the U.S. Youth National Team.

That meant Julia McBride could get game-changing opportunities.

“You can’t double-team everybody,” Emegano said. “You’ve got to pick and choose your battles. So when they chose to double-team Rylee, Julia was wide open.”

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McBride scored both of Edmond North’s goals in a 2-1 state finals victory against Norman North on Saturday evening at Taft Stadium, securing the Huskies’ first championship since 2011 and fourth in program history.

The junior midfielder elevated her game in the Class 6A playoffs, netting the Huskies’ lone goal against Owasso in the quarterfinals before stepping up again in the championship match. Her progress started with the tone Emegano sets in practice, she said.

“Everything is just so high-intensity,” McBride said. “And that brought me to the next level.”

After the Huskies (13-1) and Timberwolves remained scoreless through most of the first period, McBride snuck in the first goal with eight seconds until halftime. A Norman North player tried to corral the ball, but it instead bounced into the net, sending Edmond North into the locker room with a 1-0 lead.

“I was just in shock,” McBride said. “I was just so happy.”

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When she added her second goal with 29:23 left, Edmond North controlled the energy in Taft Stadium. McBride gleefully pumped her fists, and Husky fans barked in the stands as “Who Let the Dogs Out” drifted through the speakers.

Then Norman North (15-3) showed the Huskies they couldn’t get comfortable.

Emegano said his team “kind of fell asleep” during a corner kick, and that led to trouble. Junior midfielder Makenna Adam scored a header goal off a cross from Arizona signee Narissa Fults, narrowing Edmond North’s lead to 2-1. The Huskies could have led 4-1, but officials called back two of their goals, including one in the second half because of an offsides call.

With no cushion, Edmond North had to rely on its defense to avoid overtime. The match took a frantic turn as both teams fought for possession in the final seconds, but senior goalkeeper Leslie Miller and the Huskies held strong.

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Revenge made the victory sweeter.

In 2021, the Huskies and Timberwolves met in the state finals, and Norman North walked away with a 2-1 win. With an identical score, Edmond North flipped the result Saturday.

The Huskies capped a dominant season in which they outscored their opponents 76-8. After posting some high scores throughout the season, they needed only two goals from McBride to finish the job.

“She’s a dynamic attacker,” Emegano said. “She’s great for us. She’s emerged as the engine of this offense for us along with Rylee McLanahan.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Class 6A girls soccer: Edmond North beats Norman North for state title